Inking device for notarial seals and the like



J. w. MEYER 3,279,359 INKING DEVICE FOR NOTARIAL SEALS AND THE LIKE Oct. 18, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 21, 1964 FIG.2

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United States Patent 3,279,359 INKING DEVICE FOR N OTARIAL SEALS AND THE LIKE John W. Meyer, Glenview, Ill., assignor to Meyer & Wenthe, Inc., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed Sept. 21, 1964, Ser. No. 397,861 9 Claims. (Cl. 101-1) The improved inking device comprising the present invention has been designed for use in connectionwith the inking of embossments made by notarial seals and the like for the purpose of enhancing the visibility of such seal embossments and rendering the same susceptible to reproduction by photographic or other processes, regardless of .the nature of the materials or the character or design of the embossments.

For ease in recording instruments and reading names and addresses embossed in paper by seal presses as upon ofiicial documents such as deeds, etc., and personalized stationery and envelopes, etc., it is desirable to provide a sufliciently sharp contrast between the embossed indicia and the paper background from which they are embossed, that they may be effectively reproduced by photographic processes or read at a glance. Heretofore, efforts have been made in this direction, such as if a cloth bag with lamp black in it is rubbed over the embossment or a soft pencil is brushed back and forth to leave pigment on the embossed material in passing. This takes time and care. Alternatively, several types of self-printing notarial embossing devices have been devised for coloring the embossed material at the time it is initially created or embossed. These, however, are personal to an individual and the inking is not used for uni-nked seal presses.

It should be noted that a great deal of care must be taken to limit the application of ink to only the embossed area where bags and pencils are used, while at the same time uniformly light pressure must be exercised to prevent crushing the embossed material. Additionally, storage of a cloth bag when not in use presents a problem inasmuch as such a bag may transmit lamp black to whatever object comes into contact with it including a user's fingers. Moreover, if the lamp black is used with an inking pad, the attainment of even pressure distribution over the seal are-a presents a problem. If a wiping action is employed, particularly if the pad is moist, either shadow effects on one side of the embossed characters, or the collection of excess pigment to rub off on other papers presents further problems.

The present invention is designed to overcome the above-noted limitations that are attendant upon the construction and use of conventional coloring or inking devices for notarial seals and other high relief embossments and, toward this end, the invention contemplates the provision of an extremely simple and practical device of the pocket variety which applies a limited amount of pigment evenly on the tops of the paper embossment for ready absorption therein without crushing the embossment irrespective of excessive pressure being applied, leaving the relief regions of the paper, as well as the peripheral regions thereof, uncolored for contrast purposes, thus enabling the seal or other embossment to be quickly read or legibly reproduced on existing commercial photographic or other reproducing equipment.

The provision of a seal-inking or coloring device of the character briefly outlined above being among the principal objects of the invention, it is a further object to provide such a device wherein means are provided for positively limiting the application of coloring material to the extreme crest regions where the paper is ruptured by the seal press dies and the fibers are opened or exposed to the air and the application of coloring material particularly 3,279,359 Patented Oct. '18, 1966 a dye solely to such crest portions insures a certain amount of depth-penetration of these crest portions by the quick absorption of the coloring material due to interand intrafiber capillarity to establish permanency of the impregnated indicia. Additionally, such absorption of the liquid coloring material take place rapidly and leaves no residual surface material or liquid on the embossment, thus lending a quick-drying characteristic to the invention, as well as precluding the presence of excess that would cause smearing or smudging of the embossment or other papers.

Another object of the invention is to provide a seal press ink accessory which is readily carried with the seal press, easily handled with a uniform self equallizing contact printing factor for optimum results and without danger of spilling or dam-age to any other articles coming in contact therewith.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the inventron, not at this time enumerated, will readily suggest themselves with the following description.

In the accompanying single sheet of drawings forming a part of this specification, a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an inking device embodying the invention in which the protective cover associ-ated therewith is shown slightly separated from the inking device proper;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the structure shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. '3 is an exploded perspective view of the inking device and its protective cover;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary plan view of a conventional notarial seal prior to treatment thereof by the inking device of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary plan view similar to FIG. 5 showing the notarial seal after it has been treated by the inking device of the present invention; and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially centrally and vertically through the inking device and illustrating the manner in which ink transfer from the device .to an embossment is effected during actual use of the device.

Referring now to the drawings in detail and in particular .to FIGS. 1 to 4 inclusive, an inking device embodying the invention has been designated in its entirety at '10 and a protective cover therefor at )12. The inking device 10 comprises a three-piece composite assembly including an inverted generally cup-shaped shell or holder \14, an ink applicator element 16, and a combined spacer andretaining ring 18 (FIG. 3).

The holder 14 is preferably formed of a suitable plastic resin and it includes a circular disk-like top wall or base 20 from which there depends a cylindrical retaining side wall 22 of relatively short height, the wall being contlnuous and extending from the peripheral regions of the base 20. The over-all diameter of the retaining wall 22 is somewhat less than the diameter of the circular base 20 so that the extreme peripheral region of the base overhangs the wall 22 and establishes a downwardly facing seating shoulder 24 for seating engagement with the rim of the protective cover 12 as will be described in greater detail presently. The upper face 26 of the base 20 is formed with a central raised boss 28 having a small transverse bore 30 therein for receiving the inturned ends 32 of a pivoted manipulating bail 34 which may be formed of substantially rigid Wire stock.

The ink pad 16 is in the form of a fiat circular disk, the thickness of which is slightly greater than the height of the retaining wall 22 and this pad is for the most part disposed within the cylindrical confines of the wall 22. When thus disposed within the confines of the wall 22, the pad projects outwardly a slight distance beyond the plane of the rim 36 of the wall 22 as best seen in FIG. 4 and it substantially fills the cavity 38 (FIG. 3) defined by the wall 22.

The pad 16 is solid having an unobstructed planar working face and is resilient at the surface under slight pressures. It is preferably formed of a porous thermoplastic resin commonly referred to as a spun plastic and defines a micro reticulated structure. The material is of a spongy nature and presents a multiplicity of interconnected minute capillary pores throughout the same opening on the working face. The nature of the material is such that it possesses only a slight degree of resistance to initial compressional forces and when released the material will immediately become restored to its. original form. Stated otherwise, the material will acquire no residual deformation whatsoever when pressure is applied thereto and even the slightest surface displacement which takes place as a result of the application of localized pressure thereto will disappear when the deforming pressure is relieved. What is more important is the fact that the application of localized pressure to the material will result in only localized momentary deformation in the region where the embossment is engaged and regions even slightly removed from the points of contact will be somewhat affected to prevent contact with unembossed portions of the paper. Such a material is described in the Leeds Patent No. 3,055,297, reference to which is hereby made.

The above outlined physical characteristics of the material of the pad element 16 render the pad admirably well suited for use as an ink pad for the purposes intended herein as distinguished from a stamp. The pad is impregnated with a suitable ink or coloring liquid substantially filling all of the interstices or microscopic spaces within the pad. The lower or underneath circular face 40 of the pad 16 constitutes the operative inking surface of the pad and the manner in which it operates to transfer ink to a particular embossment will be described in detail presently.

The specific composition of the ink-saturated pad 16, per se, constitutes no part of the present invention except insofar as its particular environment is concerned as an element of the combination which comprises the inking device as a whole. For a more complete understanding of the nature of the composition of the material from which the pad 16 is formed, reference may be had to said United States patent to Leeds 3,055,297, granted on September 25, 1962, and entitled Microporous Synthetic Resin Material.

The combined spacer and retaining ring 12 is preferably formed of a suitable noncorrosive metal such as stainless steel, or a metal alloy such as brass. As best seen in FIGS. 4 and 7, the ring 12 is provided with a cylindrical side wall 42, the lower rim of which is formed with an inturned retaining flange 44 of short radial extent. The ring 12 is telescopically received within the retaining wall 22 of the holder 10 with a snug frictional fit so that the upper rim 46 of the ring can come to rest on the underneath face 48 of the base of the holder 10 just inside the confines of the cylindrical wall 22 when the device is pressed against an embossrnent. The cylindrical side wall 42 of the ring 12 encompasses the ink pad 16 and is interposed between the cylindrical side wall of the pad and the inside surface of the retaining wall 22 of the holder 10. The height or axial extent of the side wall 42 is somewhat greater than the height or axial extent of the wall 22 so that the ring 12 projects downwardly below the wall so that a limited portion 50 (FIG. 7) of the side wall is exposed below the lower rim 36 of the wall 40. The inturned annular flange 44 underlies the peripheral regions of the underneath face or inking surface 40 of the ink pad 16.

It is to be noted at this point that the depending wall 22 of the holder 14 and the side wall 42 of the retaining ring 12, in combination with each other, establish a composite retaining and spacing wall for the resilient ink pad 16. As will be described in greater detail presently, the overall elfective height of this composite retaining and spacing wall is slightly greater than the thickness of the ink pad 16 so that when the inking device 10 is operatively applied to an embossment the inking surface 46 of the ink pad 16 will be maintained slightly elevated from the plane of the paper which carries the embossment so "that the inking surface 40 will contact only the crest portions of the embossment and will yield enough to prevent contact with the unembossed areas.

The protective cover 12 is preferably formed of a suitable plastic resin. It also is a cup-shaped configuration and includes a circular bottom wall 52 and an upstanding marginal wall 54 having a finger nail engageable bead 53 and in lieu thereof or in cooperation therewith the shoulder 24 of the holder 14 is notched out at 23 for finger nail clearance. The cover 12 is adapted to be removably and telescopically received over the depending wall 22 of the holder 14, the wall 54 encompassing the wall 22 and having its upper rim 56 seating on the downwardly facing shoulder 24 of the top wall 20 of the holder 14. When in position on the holder 14, the cover 12 thus. encloses the projecting portion 50 of the retaining ring, as well as the inking surface 40 of the ink pad 16.

When it is desired to use the device, a thumb nail of one hand engaging under the bead 53 while the handle means 34 is being held by the fingers of the other hand easily removes the cover for use of the inking device. In this connection the construction and arrangement of the handle 34 should be noted. The handle is made of a wire in the form of a bail which has substantial height but barely appreciable width at its top and is narrow and loosely pivoted at its lower end in the boss 28 which is located exactly in the center of the top of the shell 14. The pivotal engagement is as close to the top of the shell 14 as possible and with this arrangement the inking device has perfect balance for providing an even and uniform ink impression on embossment crests merely by a thumb and finger holding the handle. Since the pivotal securement is central and is loose and narrow and since the handle can be gripped only by a thumb and fore finger there is little likelihood that there will be any unbalance of pressure developing when the device is lowered into contact with the embossment. An offhand natural use of the device provides the best results along with the least danger of getting ink on ones fingers.

It might also be noted thatthe handle is preferably made of wire because it also may serve as a securernent bail which may be secured to a key chain or the like if the device is to be carried on the person of the user. In view of the fact that the open bail has substantial length with a cross member at the top to minimize later influence by thumb and finger it is desirable for two reasons that the bail 34 may be swung to an out-of-the-way position close to the shell 14- such as has been illustrated in dotted lines in FIG. 2 and the bight portion thereof pressed into a narrow throat notch 60 provided in a raised retaining boss 62 formed on the upper surface 26 of the base portion 20 of the holder 14. This keeps the bail out of the way when the device is not in use yet permits the bail to be lowered and raised for its many advantages when the inking device is put to use.

The operation of the device when in actual use has been illustrated schematically in FIG. 7 wherein the device is shown as being operatively applied to the embossed characters 64 of a notaria'l seal associated with a document, a fragment of which has been designated at 66, and which is shown as being supported on a flat reaction support such as a table 68. The raised characters 64, when considered collectively, may constitute a notarial seal such as has been illustrated at 70 in FIGS. 5 and 6. The notarial seal 70 of FIG. 5 represents a conventional and uninked or uncolored seal prior to treatment thereof by the inking device of the present invention. This seal is represented in 'FIG. 6 after it has been treated by the inking device 10.

To apply the device 10 to the notarial seal 70, the protective cover 12 is removed to expose the protruding portion 50 of the retaining ring 18 and also the portion or circular area of the underneath surface 40 of the ink pad 16 which immediately overlies the plane of the inturned flange 44 and which it itself exposed through the windowlike opening provided by the circular inner periphery of the inturned flange. Thereafter the device 10 is held by thumb and forefinger as centered above the seal 70 and lowered so that the inturned flange 44 is caused to bear against the paper 66 at the base region of the seal, i.e. the region which immediately surrounds the seal, in concentric relation with respect to the seal. With the device 10 thus positioned on the paper 66 and overlying the seal 70, only the crest portions of the various raised embossments 64 will make contact with the underneath face 40 of the ink pad 16 while the trough portions of the embossments, as well as the plane of the paper 66, Will remain out of contact with and spaced from the plane of the face 40 as clearly shown in FIG. 7.

This maintenance of the plane of the underneath face 40 of the ink pad 16 slightly above the level of the paper '66 constitutes an important feature of the present invention. To attain this relationship the thickness of the sheet metal from which the retaining ring 18 is stamped is predeterminedly selected and the flange 44 shaped so that it is related to the overall height of the embossed characters 64. This relationship is one in which the flange 44 preferably is either square to the side wall 42 and defines an included obtuse angle therewith or is grossly rounded at the corners whereby the edge of the pad 16 normally engages the flange at the apex of the angle and the inner marginal edge 43 of the flange 44 is normally spaced from the face of the pad a little less than the height of an average height embossment. An initial printing pressure moves the work engaged flange towards the pad under the resiliency in the pad to let the pad surface contact the tops of the embossment under slight pressure. Then the build up of pressure is sensed by the finger of the user. Thus, regardless of the tactually appreciated amount of manual pressure which is applied to the inking device 10 against the paper 66, the inturned flange 44 of the retaining ring 18 will serve to maintain the inking surface 40 of the ink pad 16 parallel to and slightly elevated from the plane of the paper, yet in suflicient proximity thereto that the crests of the embossment will contact and slightly depress the ink pads in the localized regions of contact.

It has previously been pointed out that the spun plastic material of the pad 16 possesses the physical characteristics of a sponge insofar as its yieldability is concerned. Therefore depression of the pad in any one localized region of contact with the crest portion of an embossed character 64 will have no effect upon the engagement of the pad by the next adjacent character nor collapse the embossment to do so. In other words, all of the raised embossed characters 64 will be similarly and equally contacted by the underneath face 40 of the pad.

Due to the fact that conventional notarial seals operate to deep draw the paper in the vicinity of the impression, the impression or embossment is ruptured to a certain degree and the fibers thereof, particularly in the crest regions, are loosened so that the embossment takes on a porous nature and has a tendency to absorb ink from the ink pad 16. Thus, such ink as is transferred from the pad to the crest portions of the embossed characters 64 is totally absorbed in these crest portions and no free ink is left which, otherwise, would tend to flow or spread into the trough portions of the embossed characters. The net result of this phenomenon is the production of the inked seal 70 of FIG. 6 wherein the seal is thin-line printed along contours which correspond to the lettering and other configuration of the seal.

In the foregoing description, the terms ink and coloring material have been used interchangeably. It will be understood that the terms ink, inking, ink application, inking surface and the like, as employed either in the specification or claims appended thereto, is intended to refer to a Wide variety of coloring substances whether the same be a dye, liquid solution or a suspension. It also will be understood that the term paper as employed herein is intended to refer to a wide variety of sheet materials capable of being embossed by a seal press and capable of bearing printed or written matter. Such includes various fibrous materials pressed from pulp such as cotton, flax, hemp jute and other vegetable or animal fibers loaded with clay or other minerals, as well as parchment and the like.

The invention is not to be limited to the exact arrangement of parts shown in the accompanying drawings or described in this specification as various changes in the details of construction maybe resorted to within a proper range of equivalents without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, While the inking device 10 selected for illustration herein has, for exemplary purposes, been designed for use in connection with generally circular notarial seals, the holder 14, ink pad 16 and retaining ring 18 conforma-bly being of circular design, the principles of the invention are applicable to corresponding parts which are generally of rectangular design so that the assembly thereof will accommodate notarial or personal address embossments which are generally of rectangular outline. Therefore, only insofar as the invention has particularly been pointed out in the accompanying claims is the same to be limited.

What is claimed is:

1. In an inking device for applying a thin localized coating of ink to the crests of a preformed embossment displaced from a paper sheet while excluding the application of ink to the trough regions of the embossment, a holder having a downwardly facing recess defining an upper Wall bordered by a depending flange, a resilient yieldable porous ink applicator pad impregnated with ink disposed in said recess and supported on said Wall and underlying the holder, said pad presenting a planar underneath face constituting an unobstructed inking surface designed for bridging contact with the crests across the embossment for ink transfer thereto, and spacer means effectively secured to the holder and projecting downwardly beyond the plane of said inking surface solely at the periphery thereof for contacting with the base region of the paper sheet solely around the embossment the extent of projection of said spacer means beyond the plane of said inking surface under ink applying pressure being appreciably less than the height of the embossment whereby said inking surface will be in yielding contact with the crest regions of the embossment and spaced above the plane of the paper sheet when the spacer means is in contact with the paper sheet.

2. In an inking device for applying a thin localized coating of ink to the crests of an embossment displaced from a paper sheet while excluding the application of ink to the trough regions of the embossment, a holder having a downwardly facing recess defining an upper Wall bordered by a depending flange, a resilient yieldable porous ink applicator pad impregnated with ink disposed in said recess and supported on said wall and underlying the holder, said pad presenting a planar underneath face constituting an unobstructed inking surface designed for bridging contact With coplanar crests of the embossment for ink transfer thereto, said flange projecting downwardly just short of the plane of said inking surface, a spacer ring having an edge flange resting against the marginal edge of the pad and presenting a lower continuous seating rim designed for seating engagement solely with the paper sheet in the base region around the embossment, said seating rim lying in a plane which is spaced from the plane of said inking surface a distance appreciably greater than the height of the embossment whereby, when the rim is in such seating engagement wit-h the paper sheet, the marginal edge of the pad will yield to the printing pressure on the seating rim to lower the inking surfaces into yielding contact with the crests of the em-bossment yet remain spaced above the plane of the paper sheet.

3. An inking device for applying ink to the crests of an embossment made in paper by a seal press comprising an inverted cup-like holder defining a cavity, an ink pad having a microporous body member supported in said cavity and impregnated with an ink exposed to contact at the surface of the body, a removable ferrule member reciprocably received in said cavity bordering said body and having a flange portion overhanging the margins of said body with the outer face thereof spaced at distance from said surface of the body greater than the height of an erribossment, one of said members being resilient to shorten said distance with the ferrule in contact with the paper under inking pressure, handle means loosely secured to the holder on the top and at the center thereof for manipulation of the holder by the thumb and forefinger of a user, and removable cover means for the holder for disposing said ferrule in working position for the application of printing pressure thereon.

4. In an inking device for applying a thin localized coating of ink to the crest regions of an embossment raised from a paper sheet while excluding the application of ink to the trough regions of the embossment, a generally cylindrical cup-shaped holder including a top wall and a continuous depending cylindrical side wall, said side wall and top wall defining a downwardly facing recess, a cylindrical ink pad formed of resilient porous material telescopically received within said recess and substantially filling the same, said pad presenting a planar circular lower end face constituting an inking surface designed for bridging contact with the crests of the embossrnent for ink transfer purposes, the axial extent of said ink pad being greater than the height of said side wall whereby the lower end face of the pad is disposed below the level of the lower rim of said side wall, and a cylindrical retaining ring encompassing at least the lower marginal edge of the ink pad and having its lowermost portion disposed slightly below the level of said lower end face of the ink pad, said lower circular rim of the retaining ring be ing designed for seating contact with the paper sheet in the base region of the embossment for relative resilient movement with respect to said pad.

5. In an inking device for applying a thin localized coating of ink to the crest regions of an emb'ossment raised from a paper sheet while excluding the application of ink to the trough regions of the embossment, a generally cylindrical cup-shaped holder including a top wall and a continuous depending cylindrical side wall, said side wall and top wall defining a downwardly facing recess, a cylindrical ink pad formed of resilient porous material telescopically received within said recess and substantially filling the same, said pad presenting a planar circular lower end face constituting an inking surface designed for bridging contact with the crests of the embossment for ink transfer purposes, the axial extent of said ink pad being greater than the height of said side wall whereby the lower end face of the pad is disposed below the level of the lower rim of said side wall, and a cylindrical retaining and spacing ring telescopically received within said side wall with a sliding removable frictional fit and having its upper circular rim spaced from seating engagement with said top wall, the axial extent of said retaining and spacing ring being slightly greater than the axial extent of said ink pad whereby the lower circular rim of the ring is disposed slightly below the level of said inking surface of the pad, said lower rim of the ring being designed for seating contact with the paper sheet in the base region of the embossment.

' ing surface of the ink pad is effectively exposed, the thick- 6. In an inking device of the character described, the combination set forth in claim 5 and wherein the overall diameter of said depending side wall of the holder is slightly less than the diameter of the circular top wall whereby the peripheral region of the top wall overhangs the side wall of the holder and establishes a downwardly facing seating shoulder against which the upper rim of the marginal wall of the protective cover bears when said marginal wall is telescopically received over the depending side wall of the holder.

7. In an inking device for applying a thin localized coating of ink to the crest regions of an embo-ssrnent raised from a paper sheet while excluding the application of ink to the trough regions of the embossment, a generally cylindrical cup-shapcd holder including a top wall and a continuous depending cylindrical side wall, said side wall and top wall defining a downwardly facing recess, a cylindrical ink pad formed of resilient porous material telescopically received within said recess and substantially filling the same, said pad presenting a planar circular lower end face constituting an inking surface designed for bridging contact with the crests of the embossrnent for ink transfer purposes, the axial extent of said ink pad being greater than the height of said side wall whereby the lower end face of the pad is disposed below the level of the lower rim of said side wall, and a cylindrical retaining and spacing ring telescopically received within said side wall with a tight frictional fit, encompassing the ink pad and having its upper circular rim in seating engagement with said top wall, the lower rim of said ring being provided with an annular in'turned retaining flange which underlies the peripheral region of said inking surface and is in coextensive faceto-face contact therewith, said retaining flange being designed for seating engagement with the paper sheet in the base region of the embossment, the inner periphery of said retaining flange defining a circular Window-like opening through which said inking surface of the ink pad is effectively exposed, the thickness of said retaining flange being less than the height of the embossment whereby, when the flange is seated upon the paper sheet, said inking surface of the pad will make yielding limited engagement with the crest portions of the embossrnent.

8. In an inking device for applying a thin localized coating of ink to the crest regions of an embossment raised from a paper sheet while excluding the application of ink to the trough regions of the embossment, a generally cylindrical cup-shaped holder including a top wall and a continuous depending cylindrical side wall, said side wall and top wall defining a downwardly facing recess, a cylindrical ink pad formed of resilient porous material telescopically received within said recess and substantially fill-ing the same, said pad presenting a planar circular lower end face constituting an inking surface designed for bridging contact with the crests of the embossrnent for ink transfer purposes, the axial extent of said ink pad 'being greater than the height of said side wall whereby the lower end face of the pad is disposed below the level of the lower rim of said side wall, a cylindrical retaining and spacing ring telescopically received within said side wall with a tight frictional fit, encompassing the ink pad and having its upper circular rim in seating engagement with said top wall, the lower rim of said ring being provided with an annular inturned retaining flange which underlies the peripheral region of said inking surface and is in coextensive face-to-faoe contact therewith, said retaining flange being des-ignedfor seating engagement with the paper sheet in the base region of the embossment, the inner periphery of said retaining flange defining a circular window-like opening through which said inkness of said retaining flange being less than the height of the embossment whereby, when the flange is seated upon the paper sheet, said inking surface of the pad will make Y g l mited engagement with the crest port-ions of the embossment, and a removable protective cover for said inking device, said cover being of cup-shape configuration and including a circular bottom wall and an upstanding cylindrical marginal wall, said marginal wall 'being removably and telescopically receivable over said depending side wall of the holder.

9. In an inking device for applying a thin localized coating of ink to the crests of an embossment displaced from a paper sheet while excluding the application of ink to the trough regions of the embossment, a holder having a downwardly facing recess defining an up er wall bordered by a depending flange, a resilient yieldable porous ink applicator pad impregnated with ink disposed in said recess and supported on said wall and underlying the holder, said pad presenting a planar underneath face constituting an inking surface designed for bridging contact with the crests across the embossment for ink transfer thereto, and spacer means effectively secured to the holder and projecting downwardly beyond the plane of said inking surface at the periphery thereof for contacting the base region of the paper sheet around the embossment, the extent of project-ion of said spacer means beyond the plane of said inking surface under ink applying pressure being appreciably less than the height of the embossment whereby said inking surface will be in yielding contact with the crest regions of the embossment and spaced above 'the plane of the paper sheet when the spacer means is in contact with the paper sheet, said holder having a boss on the upper surface of said wall at the center thereof, a wire bail pivoted freely to said boss and having a loop size no bigger than the gripping area between a thumb and forefinger of a user whereby the major force imparted by hand to the bail in inking is downward at the center of the printing area of the holder.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,174,642 3/1916 Welter 10l335 X 1,408,207 2/1922 Jones l01327 2,234,422 3/1941 WisWell lOl-333 ROBERT E. PULFREY, Primary Examiner. W. F. MCCARTHY, Assistant Examiner. 

